The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet has approved restrictions on the import of camera enabled smart glasses, together with Rs1.094 billion for the purchase of a new L-1000 aircraft for the Prime Minister VVIP fleet. The decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb at the Finance Division, where the committee considered 11 agenda items that were submitted by various ministries and divisions. The restrictions on smart glasses were approved on a summary that the Commerce Division submitted, and the committee also recommended that the provincial governments and the Islamabad Capital Territory introduce appropriate workplace regulations to govern the use of these devices.
On defence, the ECC approved additional technical supplementary grants worth Rs54 billion for ongoing defence projects, of which Rs29.139 billion is for Project Istaqlal. It also approved revisions to the tiers and bank rates of the Prime Minister Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme, in order to improve access to affordable finance and to support youth entrepreneurship and employment. The committee allowed the transfer of Rs15.625 billion in savings from austerity and fuel conservation measures to the Prime Minister Austerity Fund 2026. The decisions cover defence spending, a loan scheme for young people and the use of savings that were made under austerity measures.
In another major decision, the ECC approved an additional grant of Rs275 billion for important water sector projects under the Ministry of Water Resources, which will support the development of key water infrastructure and ongoing projects. On energy, it approved the continuation of gas supplies to FatimaFert and Agritech, the two urea manufacturing plants that operate on the network of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), until December 31, 2026, subject to the availability of the required energy supply. It also approved a relaxation of the applicable Exploration and Production (E&P) Rules for the extension and renewal of 89 petroleum rights, subject to the fulfilment of prescribed conditions.
The committee additionally approved a technical supplementary grant of Rs1 billion for the gasification of villages within a five kilometre radius of gas production fields during the 2026 to 2027 financial year. The scheme aims to improve access to natural gas in communities near production sites. The meeting was attended by Power Minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, the chairman of the Prime Minister Youth Programme, federal secretaries and senior government officials.
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